Being Neighborly by Karla Brandenburg

Author:Karla Brandenburg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: accidental death, grief, post-divorce, romance novels, new career
Publisher: Sonderocity
Published: 2022-07-12T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

Heath snatched the note from Sue and crumpled it in his hand. When he’d asked her to help him solve Derek’s murder, it had been a lark. A game. His skin crawled as he considered there might be something to their theory, that he’d put her in danger.

“Who would leave you this note?” she asked.

“That’s what I’d like to know. Does this seem like a threat to you?”

“Do you know who it’s from?”

“Whoever left it didn’t bother to sign it,” he said, adding a hint of sarcasm. “All caps. Anyone could have written this.”

“Who even knows you’re asking questions? Scratch that. Everyone on the suspect list we’ve put together.” She counted off on her fingers. “Rich. Jojo. Zelda. And I’m leaving your brother on the list just because.”

Heath laughed. “Fine by me.”

“Should we take this to the police?”

“Not unless we have more to show them. I’d rather not be locked in an interrogation room again.”

“Well, hold onto it. In case something else happens.” She paused, locked her sapphire gaze on him. “Your voice. Still hoarse?”

“Sleeping outside didn’t do me any favors.”

Her cheeks reddened. “That’s my fault for falling asleep in your lawn chair. You didn’t have to stay with me.”

He’d do it again, and not fall asleep next time. “Someone had to. I couldn’t leave you alone and defenseless where Bigfoot could find you and carry you off.”

Sue laughed so hard she wiped tears from her eyes. “Bigfoot?”

He shrugged, happy he’d managed to lighten the mood.

As she caught her breath, she said, “We don’t get many Bigfoot sightings in Illinois, but I appreciate the gesture.”

“The least I could do for someone I care about.” There. He’d said it. Worst case scenario, she’d brush him off. Best case, she’d kiss him again. In reality, he supposed she’d land somewhere in the middle.

“I like you, too,” she said. “I still think we should tell the police about the note.”

Hello, middle ground. “You can tell them. Say it was on your door.”

Her color deepened. Did she have something going with the police guy? Heath folded his arms, trying to protect himself from what came next. Would she try to let him down easy?

She lowered her gaze. “From what I’ve learned, Derek had a lot of enemies. I’m not sure we’re equipped to find a killer. Derek doesn’t sound like someone I would have liked, had I met him.” She cringed. “Was he naked when you found him?”

Heat rose up his neck. “Technically, I didn’t find him. The maintenance guy did. But yeah.”

“That tracks with what my friend said. He called it autoerotic asphyxiation.”

“Auto...” Heath concentrated a moment to remember where he’d heard that phrase before, and then it dawned on him. “That would explain the lights they shone on the floor beside him. And the glowing spots.” He shuddered. “Wait. What about the stuff on his bed?”

“Apparently, he had cocaine in his system, which increases the libido—or so they say.”

More of the puzzle came together. “They took a urine sample from me,” he said.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.